Weigela plant named ‘Carlton’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Weigela  plant named ‘Carlton’, characterized by its uniform plant habit; freely branching habit; developing leaves that are yellow green in color and fully expanded leaves that become yellow green in color during the mid-summer through autumn; dark red purple-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Weigela florida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Carlton’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Weigela plant, botanically known as Weigela florida, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Carlton’.

The new Weigela is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Grand Haven, Mich. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new Weigelas with unique leaf shapes and coloration, uniform plant habit and hardiness.

The new Weigela originated from an open-pollination in 2003 of the Weigela florida cultivar Rubidor, not patented. The cultivar Carlton was discovered and selected by the Inventor in 2004 as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled environment in Grand Haven, Mich. Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by cuttings in Grand Haven, Mich. since the summer of 2004 has shown that the unique features of this new Weigela plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Carlton’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Carlton’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Weigela:

-   -   1. Uniform plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Developing leaves that are yellow green in color and fully         expanded leaves that become yellow green in color during the         mid-summer through autumn.     -   4. Dark red purple-colored flowers.     -   5. Good garden performance.

In side-by-side comparisons in Grand Haven, Mich., under commercial practice, plants of the new Weigela differ from plants of the female parent, the cultivar Rubidor, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Weigela and the cultivar Rubidor differ in         leaf color as plants of the cultivar Rubidor have developing         leaves that are yellow in color.     -   2. Under high light conditions, leaves of plants of the new         Weigela do not burn whereas leaves of plants of the cultivar         Rubidor burn.

Plants of the new Weigela can be compared to plants of the Weigela florida cultivar Variegata, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons in Grand Haven, Mich. plants of the new Weigela differ from plants of the cultivar Variegata in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Weigela and the cultivar Variegata differ         in leaf coloration as plants of the cultivar Variegata have         variegated leaves.     -   2. Plants of the new Weigela and the cultivar Variegata differ         in flower color as plants of the cultivar Variegata have light         pink and white-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Weigela, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Weigela.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical plant of the cultivar Carlton.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of typical flowers and leaves of the cultivar Carlton.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new Weigela has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype. The aforementioned photographs, following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the summer and autumn in Grand Haven, Mich., in an outdoor nursery and under commercial production practices. Plants were about three years old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Weigela florida cultivar Carlton. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female or seed, parent.—Weigela florida cultivar Rubidor,             not patented.         -   Male or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Weigela             florida, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By softwood cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About 15 days at temperatures of 22°             C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About two months at             temperatures of 22° C.         -   Root description.—Fine.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Perennial shrub. Upright, rounded             and uniform plant habit. Vigorous growth habit. Freely             branching habit with about 20 lateral branches developing             per plant; pinching enhances lateral branch development.         -   Plant height.—About 2 meters.         -   Plant diameter.—About 1.7 meters. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 1.9 meters.         -   Diameter.—About 4 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 9 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Aspect.—Erect to about 45° from vertical.         -   Texture.—Pubescent.         -   Color, developing stems.—145B.         -   Color, mature stems.—197B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite; simple.         -   Length.—About 10 cm.         -   Width.—About 5 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptic.         -   Apex.—Acute to acuminate.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margin.—Serrulate; slightly undulating.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Texture, lower surface.—Pubescence at veins.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: 151C. Developing             foliage, lower surface: 154C. Fully expanded foliage, upper             surface: During the spring, 144A; mid-summer to autumn,             color becoming closer to 151C; venation, 151B. Fully             expanded foliage, lower surface: During the spring, 138B;             mid-summer to autumn, color becoming closer to 151C;             venation, 151B.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 6 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and             lower surfaces: 151B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Funnelform flowers arranged in             clusters of about nine flowers. Flowers not persistent.             Flowers face upright, outwardly or are drooping.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Weigela flower             from May to June and will typically reflower in October in             Grand Haven, Mich.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about six to eight weeks on             the plant.         -   Flower diameter.—About 3 cm.         -   Flower length (height).—About 4 cm.         -   Flower bud.—Shape: Narrowly ovate. Length: About 1.2 cm.             Diameter: About 4 mm. Color: 60A.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Funnelform, five petals fused into a             long tube with separate petal lobes. Petal lobe length:             About 1.3 cm. Petal lobe width: About 9 mm. Petal lobe             shape: Roughly orbicular. Petal lobe apex: Obtuse. Petal             lobe margin: Mostly entire. Petal texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Petal, when opening,             upper and lower surfaces: 60A. Petal, fully opened, upper             and lower surfaces: 60B; color becoming closer to 60C with             development.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five. Length: About 1 cm.             Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acuminate.             Margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth; glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 155B;             towards the apex, speckled with 60C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 8 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Angle:             Erect to about 30° from stem axis. Strength: Moderately             strong; flexible. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 138B.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.             Angle: About 10° to about 60° from stem axis. Strength:             Moderately strong; flexible. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: 138B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity/arrangement: Five per             flower. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther length: About 4 mm.             Anther color: 196C. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color:             Close to 156A. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil             length: About 3.5 cm. Style length: About 2 cm. Style color:             196A. Stigma shape: Rounded to globular. Stigma color: 196C.             Seeds: Length: Less than 0.5 mm. Diameter: Less than 0.5 mm.             Color: Close to 200A. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Weigela have exhibited good     tolerance to rain and wind and have been observed to tolerate     temperatures from about −29° C. to about 38° C. -   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Weigela have not been     observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common to Weigela. 

1. A new and distinct Weigela plant named ‘Carlton’ as illustrated and described. 